Arizona's Luke Walton continues to be the darling of the camp. He took only four shots Thursday and made just one of them, but his seven assists and six rebounds were impressive. He got big praise from Big East point guard and camp teammate Troy Bell. "It's really fun playing out there with Luke," Bell told Insider. "He really makes things easier on everybody. I really think he'll make it in the league. He just really knows how to play."

Point guards Bell, Maurice Williams and Carl English all continue to play well. But all of them had trouble finding assists on Thursday. Bell fell off the wagon a little bit when he scored 20 points but only netted one assist. After the game Bell told Insider he was trying to pass the ball. "You only get an assist, if the guy who you throw it to knocks down the shot. I was passing the ball." That is true, and a number of scouts felt his performance wouldn't hurt him. His 3-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc certainly didn't hurt, either.

Alabama's Williams had 16 points, but the zero assists came as a shocker. The zero turnovers helped balance things out a bit, but still, you'd like to see a point guard find his teammates once in a while.

Hawaii's English also shot the ball well and ended with 12 points and two assists.

Washington State's Marcus Moore played better on Thursday. His 13 points, five assists and four steals were a big improvement over Wednesday's numbers. However, Moore's 40 percent shooting from the field and four turnovers didn't exactly have scouts gushing.

High school big man James Lang continues to surprise people with his strong play in the post. Lang had 14 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes Thursday.

"He really plays like he belongs out there," one GM told Insider. "You forget (when) you're watching him that he's a high school kid. The comparison to Oliver Miller is pretty surreal. He's got great skills, but the weight thing is going to really hurt him. If he goes back to college, he'll be a big-time player there."

Auburn's Marquis Daniels did a great job attacking the basket. His 16-point, 4-assist performance was only marred by four turnovers.

“ He's got a big-time body, nice athleticism and he's a good rebounder. Someone will take a chance on him. ”
— NBA scout, on Brandon Hunter

Ohio's Brandon Hunter rebounded from a slow start to drop in 16 points and grab five rebounds in 16 minutes. Hunter was a beast in the paint and was sent to the line six times in 16 minutes. He shot 8-for-11 from the free throw line and drew some praise from one NBA scout.

"He measured a little taller (6-foot-8) than we expected," one scout said. "He's got a big-time body, nice athleticism and he's a good rebounder. Someone will take a chance on him."

Duke's Dahntay Jones showed his superior athleticism and grabbed nine boards, but his shot just looks broken at the moment. He has made only 5 of 17 thus far in camp.

"He really needed to shoot the ball well to help himself," one assistant GM said. "He has to prove he can knock down a shot on the wing. I believe he's a better shooter than advertised, but his stock won't rise until he sinks a jumper or two."

Hitman

06-06-2003, 03:26 PM

I have to say, I love Walton's game. I think he is going to have a long NBA career if he stays healthy. (Being a Walton, that is a big 'if'.